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How we use cookies on StatCounter

1. Visiting a Website that uses StatCounter Analytics

If you visit a site that is using the StatCounter Analytics service, the following cookies will usually be set on your computer.

3rd Party Unique/Returning Cookie (is_unique)

This holds data on your visits to websites which use StatCounter. We solely use it to determine whether you are a first-time or returning visitor on each website and to estimate your accumulated unique visits per site. No personal information is stored in the cookie.

Duration: 5 years

Set by: statcounter.com

Note: This method is being phased out (2016) in favour of 1st party cookies:

1st Party Visitor Cookie (sc_is_visitor_unique)

This cookie is set by the website that you visit. When it is first set, a random id is generated and stored in the cookie in order to avoid counting you as a visitor more than once (e.g. if you are on a mobile device and your IP address changes while you browse). Similarly to the is_unique cookie, this cookie also stores a count of your returning visits.

(Unfortunately it's not technically possible to do this for 1st party cookies as they are set directly by the website you are visiting)

2. Visiting StatCounter.com directly

Here is a list of the cookies that may be set when you visit StatCounter along with description of what the cookies are used for and duration information:

StatCounter Blocking Cookie (blocking)

This is set on member request. Used only to prevent member's own visits from being recorded in the statistics for a specific website i.e. it prevents stats being inflated during edits by a web designer.

Duration: 5 years

StatCounter Session Cookie (phpsessid)

This cookie contains a randomly generated number and is used for authentication when logging in to StatCounter - this cookie is integral to the security of your account when using StatCounter and we strongly recommend that all StatCounter members accept this cookie.

Duration: expires at end of browsing session

StatCounter Remember Me Cookie (login)

This cookie is set when you tick the checkbox when you login to StatCounter. It removes the need to enter username and password on every visit to StatCounter.

Duration: 5 years

OpenX (oaid, oageo, oacblock, oasccap)

We use OpenX for some advertising campaigns on StatCounter. These cookies are unique identifiers for a browser so we know if a specific ad has been displayed. This helps us to avoid repeatedly showing you the same advert. No browsing history or other info is stored in these cookies. The information in these cookies is not shared with third parties.

Duration: expires at end of browsing session up to 1 year

Third Party Advertiser Cookies

We use advertising to fund the free service we offer. If you upgrade to a paid StatCounter account you have the option to remove all ads.

We use third party services to serve ads on our site such as Rubicon Project and Google Adsense. You may receive cookies from these third party advertisers when using the StatCounter site. To opt-out of targeted/behavioural ads from either of these networks please follow the links below:

You may also use the NAI opt-out tool below to opt-out of targeted/behavioural ads from >70 other participating members.

Please note that opting out of a network does not mean you will no longer see online advertising. Instead, it means that you will no longer see targeted/behavioural advertising (i.e. advertising tailored to your browsing history, preferences and usage patterns) via the network from which you have opted out.

VBulletin (vbuserid, vblastvisit, vblastactivity, vbsession)

We use VBulletin to run the forum on StatCounter. These cookies are used for secure log in to the forum, to remember your log in information (at your request) and to remember the posts you have viewed (to enable only new items to be filtered for you).

Duration: expires at end of browsing session up to 1 year

Wordpress (comment_author, comment_author_email, comment_author_url)

We use wordpress.org software to run the blog on StatCounter. If you comment on our blog, the cookies listed above will be set. This is for your convenience so that you will not have to re-type all your information for future comments.

Duration: 364 days

Pootle (csrftoken)

We use pootle software for the StatCounter translation project. If you volunteer to assist with translation, a pootle cookie may be set in your browser to remember your language translation preferences.

We use Olark to provide an online chat window on some pages of StatCounter - this allows you to start a conversation with us and allows us to provide you with immediate, responsive customer service. Various cookies are used to keep you logged in to chat, track what page you are viewing and to manage page loading resources. No personal information is stored in these cookies.

Duration: expires at end of browsing session up to 2 years

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